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We’re in the early days of Earth’s sixth great extinction, say biologists
Since 1500, more than 320 land animals have gone extinct. Populations of the remaining species show a 25 percent average decline.
July 29, 2014
Mars rover set an off-world driving distance record this week
NASA’s Opportunity rover, still going after 10 years on Mars, now holds the off-Earth roving distance record with 25 miles of driving.
July 29, 2014
Super-close views of Mercury
The MESSENGER spacecraft is now dropping closer to Mercury, and long anticipated, super-close views of the planet are beginning to come in.
July 29, 2014
Lifeform of the week: Hairy pink squat lobster
It's always a good hair day for a hairy pink squat lobster (Lauriea siagiani). These little guys live on sponges in the western Indo-Pacific.
July 28, 2014
Did all dinosaurs have feathers?
A newly-discovered species suggests that feathers were much more common among dinosaurs than once thought.
July 28, 2014
Webcam sees baby sea turtles hatch and head toward sea
These baby loggerhead sea turtles hatched from their eggs and began their march to the sea on the night of July 25.
July 28, 2014
Iron from Sahara dust helps fertilize Atlantic Ocean
Some 71% to 87% of the iron in North Atlantic seawater may have originated in dust from the Sahara desert.
July 28, 2014
Pluto-bound New Horizons update
New Horizons - en route to Pluto - is currently out of hibernation for a series of engineering and navigation checks, which will continue until the end of August 2014.
July 28, 2014
Perseid meteor shower kicks off! Fireballs detected this weekend
Earth has just entered the stream of debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle, the parent comet of the Perseids. Now is the time to start watching for meteors.
July 27, 2014
Orion returns
Orion has been called "the ghost of the shimmering summer dawn." The Hunter rises on his side, with his three Belt stars pointing straight up.
July 27, 2014
